Backyard bird watching

[saltfly]

Originally Posted by basswipe

Its that time of year again.

I was surprised the last two days as a large blue heron has showed up at my fishpond,usually they're gone by now.He ain't getting anything because of the net.

Getting all the usuals at the feeders now.No hawk yet though.

Just had a sharpshin hawk on a branch in the yard.run for the camera,changed lenses to a 400 zoom.......gone.It was watching the feeders and the bath water[plugged that in yesterday].Had a Coopers Hawk take out a squirrel the other day right under one of the feeders 20' from the house....Missed that one too,Damn.

[spence]

I'm going to try and keep my pond running all winter this year. Today I installed a water spigot in the cellar with it's own hose so I can add water in the winter if it gets low.

Funny how water won't freeze if it's moving much at all.

Needless to say, the birds really love this. And the stream/waterfall/pond looks really cool after a good snowstorm!

-spence

[justplugit]

Had a ONE LEGGED Downy woodpecker at the window suet feeder yesterday!!!
Little guy holding on and pecking away.
WTH, how is he able to climb trees with one leg. Talk about adaptability.

[Raven]

years ago -> maybe 15 years ago i was living in an upstairs apartment and he'd come each day....to a kitchen bird feeding station....

he was literally un afraid of me...and practically let me touch him...
man i used to spoil that bird...

it was there i noticed how clever nut-hatches were...watching this
one smart bird take individual safflower seeds and tuck them up under the roof shingles one by one where there's a little notch for a future stash.

but..........................

i know it's cold when the woodpeckers ultimately cooperate!!
and share the same suet feeder....i have a 4 banger cube out there right, hanging via coat hanger on a landing rope that goes 40 feet out to a big ole Blue spruce.... a 2x4 is nailed to the deck rail supporting the rope and i have a bark board rough cut pine stick (still has pine bark) screwed to it... so the red bellied wood pecker is on one side and the huge downy
(looks like a mini penguin) is eating on the other side.

[basswipe]

Originally Posted by spence

I'm going to try and keep my pond running all winter this year. Today I installed a water spigot in the cellar with it's own hose so I can add water in the winter if it gets low.

Funny how water won't freeze if it's moving much at all.

Needless to say, the birds really love this. And the stream/waterfall/pond looks really cool after a good snowstorm!

-spence

I added a de-icer two years ago.Haven't lost a fish over the Winter since.When it gets truly cold the fish will get right up against it. They're pretty cheap and don't consume all that much juice.

[spence]

Originally Posted by basswipe

I added a de-icer two years ago.Haven't lost a fish over the Winter since.When it gets truly cold the fish will get right up against it. They're pretty cheap and don't consume all that much juice.

I've got one of those floating heaters to keep a hole open, seems to work well.

My bigger problem is water loss as the stream and waterfall are prone to ice up from splashing...

-spence